Sunday, December 31

11But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb.

12And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.

13Then they said to her, 'Woman, why are you weeping?' She said to them, 'Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.'

14Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus.

15Jesus said to her, 'Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?' She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, 'Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away.'

16Jesus said to her, 'Mary!' She turned and said to Him, 'Rabboni!' (which is to say, Teacher).

17Jesus said to her, 'Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, 'I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.' '

18Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that He had spoken these things to her.

11But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man.

12For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.

13For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it.

14And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers.

15But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb and called me through His grace,

16to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood,

17nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.

18Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and remained with him fifteen days.

19But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord's brother.

13Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, 'Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.'

14When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt,

15and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, 'Out of Egypt I called My Son.'

16Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men.

17Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying:

18'A voice was heard in Ramah, Lamentation, weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, Refusing to be comforted, Because they are no more.'

19Now when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,

20saying, 'Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child's life are dead.'

21Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel.

22But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee.

23And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, 'He shall be called a Nazarene.'